Means for automatically regulating the flow of liquids from tanks.



' E. NIEDERAUER & J. H. WINFIELD. MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGULATING THE PLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM TANKS.

VAPPLIOATION FILED DEG. 28, 1912.

1,082,605. Patented Dec 30, 1913.

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OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM TANKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD N IEDERAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, and JOSEPH H. IVINFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Automatically Regulating the Flow of Liquids from Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for regulating the flow of liquids from tanks.

The object of the invention is to provide means for easily and effectively regulating the amount of flow from tanks, and insuring a constant and steady flow of fluid when the regulating means are in a selected position. For example, it is extremely important in electrolyzers that the flow of the salt solution from the supply tank to the electrolyzer be constant and uniform. This insures a regular temperature within the electrolyzer, which in turn has a salutary eflect upon the bleaching liquor in that it imparts to it uniform strength, and also prevents leakage due to overheated cells. TVhile our invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with electrolyzers, it is not limited to that field, but may be employed efl'ectively wherever it is desirable to regulate the flow of liquids from tanks.

With the above and other important incidental objects in view, our invention consists in the arrangement and construction of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved tank regulating device and connections. And Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line aa of Fig. 1.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

In a detailed description of our invention, 1 designates a longitudinal member, preferably constructed of wood, which is secured in a vertical position to a wall or other suitable support. The member 1 is provided with a T slot or groove 2 which extends throughout its length and which re- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 28, 1912.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913. Serial No. 738,997.

ceives a block 3 vertically movable therein. Secured to the front face of the block 3 is a pressure latch 5 adapted to press against the longitudinal member 1 to hold the block 8 in any of its adjusted positions. Proecting outwardly from the block 3 are arms 4 which terminate in loops or rings 4 These rings receive a vertical tube 6 preferably constructed of hard rubber, communicating with and depending from a reducing bushing 7 which is wider than the topmost ring 4' to enable said bushing to rest upon it. The bushing 7 is connected to the lower end of a pipe T 8 by a coupling 9, all of said parts being preferably constructed of hard rubber to prevent electrolysis.

Connected to the transverse portion 10 of the T 8, is a flexible tube 11, which communicates with a supply tank 12 mounted at such height that the T 8 may be positioned below the level of the fluid in said tank in order that the fluid may flow therefrom. The upper end of the T 8 is open to the atmosphere in order that the amount of fluid drawn from the tank 12 will depend upon the difference in the forces acting at 10 and 6 (level of fluid in tank 12), rather than the difference in the forces acting at 0 (lower end of tube 6) and b. In other words, the volume of flow through the tube 6 will depend upon the weight of a column of water equal to the vertical distance between the level of the fluid in the supply tank 12 and the opening into the transverse portion 10 of tlie T 8, which receives atmospheric pressure through the upper open end of the said T. Accordingly, the tube 6 may be varied in length without affecting the quanity of flow therethrough.

The operation of our invention may be best explained by describing its use in connection with an electrolyzer. An electrolyzer 13 is placed beneath the vertical tube 6 and the tank 12 filled with a salt solution to a level that will enable the T 8 to be positioned below it. The block 3, to which the T 8 and connections are secured, is then moved to a position in the longitudinal member 1, representing approximately the volume of flow desired. The block 3 is then latched in its selected position. Fluid will now flow from the tank 12 into the T 8 through the flexible tube 11, whence it flows through the bushing 7 and tube 6 into the electrolyzer 13. If it is desired to check the flow completely, the block 3 is elevated to a position which will bring the T 8 above the level of the fluid in the supply tank 12.

It will now be seen that by shifting the block 3 vertically within the longitudinal member 1, the flow of fluid from the supply tank 12 through the flexible tube, T pipe and connections may be accurately regulated. And as our regulating device dispenses with valves or other agencies for controlling the flow of fluid, that flow will encounter no obstructions such as valves and their connections would form, but will continue steady and constant, with the result that the temperature of the electrolyzer will be regular, the cells will not become overheated, and the bleaching liquor will have uniform strength.

Our invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, but the character of the means employed may be varied to suit different conditions of use.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In combination, a fluid supply tank, a T pipe, a flexible tube connecting the horizontal limb of said T pipe with the tank, the upper end of said T pipe being open to expose the incoming fluid to atmospheric pressure, a vertical tube depending from the lower end of said T pipe, a vertical guide, said guide mounted at a distance from said fluid supply tank, a vertically adjustable member mounted in said guide, and arms carried by said member to support the vertical tube and T pipe, whereby said member may be freely moved between the guide and fluid supply tank to vary the distance of the horizontal opening in the T pipe, below the level of the liquid in said fluid supply tank, to regulate the flow of liquid therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a fluid supply tank, a T pipe, a flexible tube connecting the horizontal limb of said T pipe with the tank, the upper end of said T pipe being open to ex pose the incoming fluid to atmospheric pressure, a reducing coupling secured to the lower end of said T pipe, a vertical tube depending from said coupling, a vertical guide, a vertically adjustable block movable in said guide, arms carried by said block to support the T pipe and connections, and a pressure latch carried by said block adapted to lock the latter in a selected position, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a fluid supply tank, a T pipe constructed of hard rubber, a flexible tube connecting the horizontal limb of said T pipe with the tank, the upper end of said T pipe being open to expose the incoming fluid to atmospheric pressure, a rubber reducing coupling secured to the lower end of said T pipe, a rubber tube depending from said reducing coupling, an electrolyzer placed below said tube and adapted to re-- ceive the flow therefrom, a vertical guide, a vertically adjustable block movable in said guide, arms carried by said block to support the T pipe and'connections, and means can ried by said block adapted to lock the latter in a selected position, said block adapted to be moved to vary the distance of the horizontal opening in the T pipe, below the level of the fluid in the supply tank, to regulate the flow of fluid therefrom into the electrolyzer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 24th day of Dec., 1912.

EDW'ARD NIEDERAUER. JOSEPH H. WINFIELD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. S. HAINEs, TVILLIAM NIEDERAUER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. O. 

